President Nana Akufo-Addo has defended the accomplishments of his administration in the energy sector, claiming that the power issue, also referred to as "dumsor," that was left over from the previous Mahama administration was satisfactorily rectified.

Significant advancements in power availability and renewable energy projects were emphasized by Akufo-Addo in his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on January 3, 2025.

He pointed out that Ghana was experiencing power outages when he joined office, but he leaves behind a country with more dependable electricity.

Some Ghanaians criticized the President's comments on social media, saying that the Mahama government had already dealt with the power situation prior to its departure.

But Akufo-Addo emphasized the progress accomplished under his leadership, stating, "I am very happy to say that I leave office in 2025 with the lights on, even though I inherited a nation plagued by dumsor."

"Mr. Speaker, Ghana has made great strides in increasing access to electricity. The rate of electricity access has increased to 88.85%, up from the 79.3% I inherited," Akufo-Addo stated. In terms of renewable energy, efforts to meet the ten percent (10%) renewable energy target by 2030 have advanced thanks to completed projects like a four megawatt (4MW) floating solar PV at Bui and a fifteen megawatt (15MW) solar PV at Kaleo, as well as a one hundred megawatt (100MW) solar PV currently under construction at Bui and a mini-grid electrification program in Ada East. It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that I inherited a country beset by dumsor, but I am delighted to report that I will be leaving office in 2025 with the lights still on.

"This accomplishment wasn't without its difficulties. There was $2.55 billion ($2.5 billion) in legacy debt in the energy sector when my administration took office. The World Bank and the government created the Energy Sector Recovery Programme (ESRP), which predicted that if nothing was done, this debt would increase to an astounding $12.5 billion in just five (5) years. We were aware that such a situation would devastate the industry, erode investor trust, and bring the country back to its dark days.

Source: Starrfm.com.gh